Water-heater.



H. G. RUCKER.

WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. 19:5.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

HARRY G. BUCKER, 0F HILLSBOBO, ILLINOIS.

WATER-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed April 10, 1916. Serial No. 90,255.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY Gr. RUCKER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hillsboro, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vater- Heaters, of which the following is a specification containing afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying` drawings, forming a parthereof.

This invention relates to that class of water heaters in which small quantities of water may be heated without distributing or radiating any of the burner heat to the source of water-supply, irrespective of whether the latter be in the nature of a tank disposed above the heating-tank, or whether such supply be in the nature of force supplied by city water-mains, or the like.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved water heater of the class mentioned; and it deals particularly with certain improvements upon the water heater shown and described in my United States Letters- Patent No. 1,070,816, granted to me on August 19, 1913.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved water heater of the class referred to, in which the heat applied to the water-receptacle may be regulated, so that if little or n0 water be drawn from the container, the temperature of the water therein will be maintained uniform, without wasting any fuel or gas.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved water heater of the class mentioned, wherein if steam be generated in the container any excess pressure thereof may be permitted to escape therefrom, and the pressure in the tank may be regulated, as desired.

This last-mentioned feature of my invention refers especially to the device when used in connection with the city water-mains, which are usually working under higher pressure than is required for the purposes of the present device.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear, and be particularly defined in the appended claims.

1n the drawings,

Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a .water-heater embodying my invention, in

the form for use Awhere city water-pressure is not available.

Fig. 2 is a similar section of my invention. in the form particularly adapted for use in connection with the cityv water-supply, under any desired pressure, and i Fig. 3 is a. horizontal section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detailed enlarged sectional view of the valve located inthe supply pipe of the heating tank.

The numeral 10 indicates a heating-chamber which is adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of water, and the contents of which are heated by a burner B, which may be of any desired type and adapted for ifilsle1 either with gas or any volatile liquid The bottom and crown sheets of said heating-chamber 10 are designated by 11 and 12, respectively, and are connected by Hues 13, which, at their lower ends are preferably oval-shaped. as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, while they taper from their lower ends toward their upper ends, and terminate in small circular openings 14 in said crownsheet 12.

Experience has demonstrated the fact that heat generated by said burner B is more etciently taken advantagel of by this construction, inasmuch as the heat generated by the gas will be maintained in said lines more uniformly throughout their entire length; and in order to avoid any waste of heat, such as is generally found in many stoves and common utensils, (such waste being due to-the fact that considerable heat passes out from under the edges of such utensils) l form in thewater heating-chamber 10 what may be termed an annular water space or jacket the inner wall of which is exposed to the heat which would otherwise tend to radiate from beneath the said heating-chamber. Such water jacket is indicated by the numeral 15, as constituting a portion of the said bottom sheet 11. 4

Disposed immediately above the upper surface of the said crown-sheet 12 is a damper-plate 16 having a pair of apertures 17 which may he brought into and out of registration with the heat openings 14:, before mentioned, this damper-plate 16 being maintained for rotation on a' centrally-disposed pipe 18 which constitutes the supply-pipe of the heating-tank; and said plate is provided with a suitable handle 1T for manipulation,

in the shell or casing, for that purpose.

Under ordinary circumstances, the said plate 16 will be in the position shown, with the apertures 17 thereo'registering with the said openings 14, in which case the burner can be turned on full and the flues obtain themaXi-mum degree of heat, so that the contents of the tank ivill be heated very rapidly.

On the other hand, it Water draivn from the tank should be very small in quantity,

the Water in said tank may be maintained at the desired'temperature bv regulating the How of gas through the said burner, and at the same time throttling the outlet oit the tlues by a proper movement of said dampen plate. v

In order to maintain a circulation of th Watenin said tank, I provide a pipe 2O which communicates with the interior of the tankv at the top and' bottom thereoias 2O clearly shown in Fig. l; and Water may be conducted to the place Where it is to be used, as for instance, to a pipeQl. Y 'Y The Water contained in said annular jacket 15 is the hottest portion or' the iva ter, and inasmuch as this portion constitutes also the lowest part of the water-space ot' l said tank, I provide a valve V through which the hot Water may be drawn, and

which at the same time will serve as a means for draining all the Water from the tank, t0 prevent freezing When the heater is not in use and located in a cold room.

As previously stated, the device shown in Fig. 1 is especially adapted for use in localities Where Water under pressure is'not` avail; able, and in order to maintain the said heatingftank supplied VWithwvater at all times, I provide a container, or reservoir, tor said tank.;

This reservoir is designated by the me meral Q2, and its located directly above said tank, and is connected thereto by a Vfeed-pipe 18, vpreviously mentioned, sov that, Water i5 which has been poured into said reservoir can gravitate freni the latter into said tank.

Said reservoir 22 is also intended to sup-- ply cold Water at the basin or bowl, and in order-to separate the tivo bodies of Water from each other -I provide in said pipe 18 a checkt-valve C (any of the Well known-valves maya-be employed as the specic construction thereof/forms n0 part of my invention) which vv-ill permit the cold.v Water te, tl'ovv from the saidreservoirQQ- into said heatingT tank butvyill prevent anyreturn.

Lik se, the said check-valve Will vent fn steam `(WhichA may lie-generated in ngtank) from finding its ivay inte d "in order toprevent the anktrom-b i' t se@ @ed e i-br ne bunie Wfl/ril,y he utletvalve`V in the. dis 'eh"arged pevl is; closed, I provide a safetyvalve': *dig-alibi; desired construction which.

Wash-basin, through a "upper plate 25 ot said reservoir 22.

later may be introduced into said reser- V voir byV removing a plug 26 provided for that purpose, said plug being intended to tightly seal the inlet-openin'g'and torni an 75 air-tight chamber in the upper portion ot said reservoir.

rIhe latter feature is important, because under ordinary circumstances the entire deg vice stands on the floor, so `that the Water would not gravitate into the bowl or basin.

In order to obtain the necessary pressure in the upper part ot said reservoir, above the lvvater therein, I provide a pine 27 connected to the uppermost portionrot said reservoir, and supplied with a check-valve C of any desired construction which Will pen mit air under pressure to be introduced through a nump-pipe 28k, or connection with l a source of air under pressure, not shown, but vvill prevent any return thereof.

A gage G is also attached to the pipe 27 to .determine the pressure Within said reservoir. l A Water-gage glass 29 is connected to the 95 said reservoir, toindieate the level ot the Water therein.

In order to permit the air to escape trom said reservoir 22 While freshwater is being introduced, through the plug opening, I provide a vent 30 which maybe opened, but the same should of course be closed before any pressure is introduced by Way ofthe said pump-.pipe 28.

In Fig. 1 it vvill be noted that the bottom plate 31 of saidreservoir is remote from the top plate 12 of said heating tank, in order to reduce the transmission of heat to the former; and in order'tovstill further n' prevent such transmission ot heat, I provide what may be termed a dead platel 32 dis-y posed short distanee above the said damperplate 16'; and av series of openings 33 in the shell tv ill vpermit the heat to escape into the atmosphere.

Furthermore, I provide vent-openings 3,4: in the Walls of the space between the said dead plate 32and the said bottom plate 31.

Cold water may be drawn from said resert -veir -22 through a pipe 35 `disposed nearV the 120 bottom of said reservoir. v Y f Y In localities: Where city Waterfpressure is available, the reserves 22 @en be disreesed with Lane Vthe .water-.Surely intrediicedint@ the heetilistank bve/e eine It@ (ses Fie/25 which receives its supply. tij-emma pipe 141, tted with avalve 42.-

Said rire 41 lhas-e breach-.pine

env-be Used, foe-'refiere @emmen purr s =i A hood te is used to inclose the upper: part roo las

of the tank shell, and a series of openings are provided to permit the escape of the products of combustion issuing from the fines 13, the construction of which is similar to that above-described in connection with the form of heater shown in Fig. l.

Changes may be made in the general organization, as well as in the particular, construction of some of the component parts of my improved water-heater, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and while I have shown herein a heater of the vertical type it should be readily apparent that my invention may readily be applied to the horizontal type by a skilled mechanic.

I claim z- 1. vA water heater comprising a heating tank, a supply tank located above said heating tank and spaced apart therefrom, a pipe for conducting the water from the supply tank to the heatingtank, a check valve in said pipe, a burner disposed beneath the heating tank, oval-shaped tapering lines extending through the heating tank, a damper for controlling all of said flues, an imperforate plate located above the damper plate and below the supply tank, there being a series of heat exit openings between the damper and imperforate plate.

2. A water heater comprising an exterior casing, a heating tank located in the lower end thereof, a supply tank in the upper portion thereof, the said supply and heating tanks being spaced apart, a pipe in communication with the supply tank and the heating tank, a check valve located in said pipe, tapering ues extended through the heating tank, a burner positioned beneath the said ues, a damper plate for controlling the fines, an imperforate plate mounted in said exterior casing between the heating tank and the supply tank, there being a series of heat openings formed in said exterior casing above and below said irnper` forate plate.

3. A water heater comprising an exterior casing, a supply tank located in the upper portion of the casing, a heating tank in the lower portion of said casing and spaced apart from the supply tank, said casing forming the outer wall of both tanks, lues formed through the heating tank, a burner positioned beneath said lues, a pipe connecting the supply tank and heating tank, a check valve located therein, a damper plate for controlling said flues, an imperforate plate located above the damper plate, a series of openings formed in the exterior casing above and below said imperforate plate, a safety valve secured to the heating tank, and a condensing pipe between the safety valve and the supply tank for the excess steam generated in the heating tank.

4. A water heater comprising an exterior casing, a supply tank and heating tank located therein, the said tanks being spaced apart, an iinperforate plate between said tanks, a series of openings formed in the casing above and below said iinperforate plate, a centrally disposed pipe communicating with the supply tank and heating tank, a check valve located therein, fines formed through the heating tank, a damper plate for said fines, a burner, a safety valve connected with the heating tank, and a pipe for the excess steam leading from the safety valve to the top of the supply tank.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY G. RUCKER.

Witnesses:

ALICE C. KrBUR'rz, R. C. ORwIG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 13.0. 

